Locket



(ModeL) G. B. WHITNEY.

L'oo'ket.

- No. 243,419; Patented June 28,1881.

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WITNESSES: QZONVENTQR: 46 M4441 dad UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. WHITNEY, OF NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

LOCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,419, dated June 28, 1881.

Application filedAugnst 18,1880, (ModeL) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE B. WHITNEY, of North Attleborough, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lockets; and I herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawin gs, forming a part of this specification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in lockets made of stamped metal.

The object of this invention is to construct such lockets of stamped sheet metal without the use of solder and without the use of the skilled labor required when parts of such lockets have to be secured by solder.

The invention consists in stamping the two halves of a locket with the strips forming the hinges, the snaps or catches, and with the ring for suspending the same, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure l is a view of the two halves of the locket stamped out of sheet metal-one with a blank for the central part of the hinge, a snap or catch, and a strip to form the ring for suspending the locket, and the other with the upper and lower part of the hinge and the snap. Fig. 2 is an end view, and Fig. 3a side view, of the locket. Fig. at is a perspective view of a stamped blank, in the center of which a glass is secured, and on the upper end of which a ring is formed; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a locket in which one of these blanks is secured.

In the drawings, (t represents one side of a locket stamped out of sheet metal, with the blank I) for the hinge, the blank cfor the ring, and the snap or catch (7. c is the other half of the stamped locket having the blanksff to form the hinge and the snap (I. WVhen these two parts are to be united the blanks b and f f are rolled over a pin or wire, so as to form the hinge, and the blank 0 is rolled over a larger wire to form the ring 0. The ring 0 may be made to form a snap or catch, as is shown in Fig. 3, and as the same is made of hard stamped metal a strong and stiff catchis formed, which retains its stiffness, as it is not subjected to heat, not requiring soldering.

In lockets made of stamped sheet metal it is desirable to retain the stiffness and springiness of the metal imparted to it by the process of stamping. If any part has to be soldered, it must be subjected to heat suffieient to unite the solder with the metal, and this heat not only softens and injures the stamped metal, but it discolors the article.

In securing parts of a locket together by solder, and particularly such parts as the hinges of the locket, skilled labor and time is required in the soldering and in the removal of the surplus solder. This adds greatly to the cost of the locket, and it becomes very desirable to do without the soldering, thus improving the article and reducing the cost.

In place of forming the ring 0 on one part of the locket, the same may form part of the blank or frame 9, as is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This frame 9 is stamped from sheet metal, and may be formed with a central rim or flange to receive and hold a piece of glass, h. One such frame provided with the ring 0 and a similar frame without the ring 0 may be sprunginto the two halves of the locket, to cover and protect pictures or other ornaments, and one of the frames may form the ring from which the locket is suspended. These frames are easily secured by pressing the edges over the plate and require no soldering.

Mylockets are stronger, cheaper, and lighter than lockets made in the old manner.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a locket composed of the two halvesa e, stamped from sheet metal, and formed, respectively,

with the hinge-blanks bff and snaps d, and provided with a suspending-ring, as described.

2. The combination, with the two halves a e of the locket, of the blanks b ff, to form the hinge, and the blank 0, to form the ring, as described.

3. The combination, with the sides a e of a locket, of the ring 0, formedin one piece with one of the sides, and constituting also a springsnap,substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the two halves a e of the locket, stamped from sheet metal, with the hinge-blanks thereupon, as described, of the frame portion 9, the whole being secured together substantially as specified.

GEO. B. WHITNEY. Witnesses JOSEPH A. MILLER, JOSEPH A. MILLER, Jr. 

